Book rest



Nov. 4, 1969 c. H. RUSTAD I 3,476,343

BOOK REST Filed Sept. 25, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 4, 1969 G- H. RUSTAD I 3,476,348

BOOK REST =5 Sap 25, 196? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I9 20 I3 H 32 I 20 FIGURE 5 25 FIGURE 2 25 United States Patent O 3,476,348 BOOK REST George H. Rustad, Rte. 1, Box 354, Amarillo, Tex. 79106 Filed Sept. 25, 1967, Ser. No. 670,051 Int. Cl. A47b 23/00, 97/04; A47g N24 US. Cl. 248445 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An adjustable book rest for supporting a book for a sitting or reclining individual adjustable to support the book in a position overlying the face ofthe user when reclining and at the correct reading position when the user is sitting. The book support is transparent so that the pages may be read through the support when overlying the face of the reclining user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The invention is directed to the problem of properly supporting a book for persons'confined to bed when the book must be positioned above the face of the user, as well as supporting a book for a person sitting in bed or in a chair. The holding of the book by ones hands and arms when reclining is extremely and quickly tiring to the extent that reading for more than very short periods cannot be tolerated.

Description of the prior art Many patents have been issued on book supports of one kind or another, both for sitting and reclining use; however, those intended for the reclining user are either entirely too complex in their structure or require the user to be elevated in the bed to an almost sitting position. Many users are required to be in a horizontal reclining position and find reading for any length of time impossible when supporting the book with the hands and arms.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is directed to a fully adjustable book support which can support a book on a transparent sheet with the book overlying the face of a fully reclining user. The device may be adjusted to establish an angle of the book surface best suited to the reader. It may also be adjusted to supporta book at different elevations and at angles suitable to a sitting reader. The device is lightweight and is easily adjusted even by a person weakened by illness.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the reference numeral indicates generally a book support constructed in accordance with the invention.

The book support 10 includes an elongated generally 3 ,476,348 Patented Nov. 4, 1969 rectangular body 11 formed of wood or other suitable material. The body 11 has a pair of opposed parallel top and bottom surfaces 12, 13 and a pair of opposed parallel opposite sides 14, 15. A generally rectangular slot 16 opens through the surface 12 of the body 11 and is positioned parallel to and midway between the sides 14, 15. The slot 16 extends the full length of the body 11.

A bore 17 extends the full length of the body 11 between the slot 16 and the side 14 and is arranged parallel thereto. A slot 18 extends through the body 11 connecting the bore 17 with the side 14 as can be best seen in FIGURE 4.

A pair of bolts 19 extends through the body 11 adjacent the opposite ends thereof between the bore 17 and the side 14. The bolts 19 project through the slot 18 and have wing nuts 20 threaded on to one end thereof. The bolts 19 and wing nuts 20 are adapted to partially close the slot 18 and, hence, reduce the diameter of the bore 17 to act as a clamp for a member positioned within the bore 17.

A pair of tubular members 21 extends into opposite ends of the bore 17 and are each provided with a right angular elbow bend 22. The tubular members 21 are each provided with a groove-retained locking ring 23 adjacent the outer end 24 thereof. A pair of tubular leg members 25 are telescopingly engaged over the outer ends 24 of the tubular members 21, as can be seen in FIGURE 5. The leg members 25 are threaded at 26 at their ends engaged over the members 21, and an internally threaded cap 27 is threaded thereon. The cap 27 has a clamping ferrule 28 positioned therein for engagement with the threaded end of the leg member 25 to clamp the leg member 25 to the member 21 to prevent relative sliding or rotary motion therebetween.

The leg members 25 have an elbow 29 formed therein intermediate the ends with the angle between the two end portions of the leg being about 57", but the exact angle is not critical. The free ends of the tubular leg members 25 are closed with caps 30.

A generally rectangular transparent plastic sheet 31 of relatively rigid construction is rigidly mounted in the slot 16 of the body 11 and extends a substantial distance thereabove to support a book or other reading material for a user.

A pair of spring wires 32 are pivotally secured at their lower ends 33 to the body 11 and are spring biased toward the sheet 31 to clamp a book thereagainst. The spring wires may be pivoted into inoperative position when not required.

USE AND OPERATION OF THE INVENTION In the use and operation of the invention, a reclining user 34 in a bed 35 positions the leg members 25 on opposite sides of his body with the plastic sheet 31 arranged generally overlying his face. A book 36 is supported on the plastic sheet 31 in a position to be read through the sheet 31. The lower edge of the book 36 is engaged with the body 11.

The height of the body 11 may be readily adjusted by loosening the caps 27 and sliding the leg members 25 to the desired position. The body 11 and, hence, the sheet 31 may be pivoted about the tubular members 31 to adjust the angle of the book 36 by loosening the wing nuts 20, pivoting the body 11, and then tightening wing nuts 20 in the new position.

The book support 10 may also be folded into the position illustrated in FIGURE 3 for transportation and storage.

It should be understood, of course, that other reading material and objects may be supported on the book support 10 as desired.

Having thus described the preferred embodiments of the invention, it should be understood that structural modifications may be made without departing from the said body and are spring biased toward said sheet to clamp spirit of the invention. material into engagement with said sheet.

I claim: 3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said angular 1. A book support comprising: tubular members have their opposite ends extending suban elongated generally rectangular solid unitary body; 5 stantially perpendicularly to each other. said body having a slot opening into one face of said 4. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said angular body and extending for the full length of said body; tubular leg members each have their opposite end pora generally rectangular transparent plastic flat book tions forming an acute angle therebetween.

support sheet rigidly secured in said slot and extend- 5. A book support as claimed in claim 4 wherein a ing outwardly from said body; pair of spring wires are pivotally secured at one endto said body having a bore extending completely theresaid body and are spring biased toward said sheet to clamp through from end to end generally parallel to the slot material into engagement with said sheet. and said bore being slotted throughout its length to a L permit said bore to be decreased in diameter; References Cited a pair of clamping bolts extending through said body UNI STATES PA arranged to decrease the diameter of said bore;

a P of angular tubular members having a portion gl g fi thereof P j ing into opposite ends of said bore 5 4 61283 3/1951 --2- and being adjustably clamped therein by said clamp- Stet X ing bolts, decreasing the diameter of said bore; and FOREIGN PATENTS an angular tubular leg member adjustably secured to 689,518 4/1953 Great Britain.

the free end of each of said tubular members, said leg members being adapted to support said body on oy 1 FRAZIER p Examiner a surface with said leg members in substantially parallel relation and said leg members being toldable DOMOTOR Asslstant Exammer into engagement with said sheet for storage. U 5 Cl X 2. A book support as claimed in claim 1 wherein a pair of spring wires are pivotally secured at one end to 248-4886, 451, 454, 464 

